The remains of the Residency in Lucknow

The Residency was the seat of the British rulers in Lucknow (the Nawab was merely a figure head by then)when the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 (according to the British)or the first war for independence (according to the Indians) took place.


I will not elaborate on the reasons why this happened...but it is worth looking up for those who don't know. During the course of this war the Lucknow Residency was under siege by many of the Indian troops who were on the outside. Cannon balls were fired from large cannons and one can see the shots in many of the walls. During the siege the residency was completely destroyed. Many lives were lost during this time and my understanding is that although a few died of wounds sustained during the siege, large numbers died from disease and lack of proper care.

On my last day in Lucknow my cousin Inderjit took me to the Residency grounds. The grounds are well maintained and it is interesting to see the remains of the buildings...almost nothing is left standing, The museum on the grounds has some interesting paintings and sketches and a model of what the Residency looked like in its glory days.